Hammer & Nails would like to start 2013 off with an article about countertops written by our good friend Aaron Woods, sales manager at Floform Countertops. A number of the kitchens that Hammer & Nails have been involved with have their countertops done by Floform and they look fantastic.

Experience Countertops

Today countertops are more a focal point of the kitchen than ever. Countertops are used to prep meals, to entertain, finish homework on, or work on that home project. Some are durable and some are flashy, but what is considered when selecting a countertop when building or renovating. Trends are a big influence on the design world and are ever changing. Today countertops are fit to follow those ever changing trends, but what product does a person choose? Companies like “Cambria Natural Quartz Surfacing” are ever changing and influencing the market, and companies like “Floform Countertops” are focused on maintaining a quality and meeting the needs of the design world. With that in mind, not all countertops are equal.

There are many different countertop products and each product has a different purpose and a different set of standards. Laminate has been around for years and most people have probably had laminate in their home at one point or another. Today laminate continues to expand its designs and continues to be an affordable and trend friendly option, but the trend is not really laminate. With products in the market like “Corian”, Granite, “Heritage Wood”, and “Cambria”, it’s no wonder the trend is shifting more to premium surfaces.

Granite is very popular today, because it is easy to get and more affordable than ever. People see Granite as a viable option to put the “hard and shiny look” in their home. This popularity has shifted the countertop trend more to a stone look, and companies are either trying to replicate stone with a design such as those by “Corian” and their “Private Collection Series”, or companies are developing more durable, user friendly, and trend setting products like “Cambria Quartz” and the “Waterstone Collection”.

Quartz is one of the countertop products that people ask about more and more. Quartz, especially a design palette such as “Cambria’s”, caters to both the classic and contemporary projects with the ever expanding quartz designs. “Cambria Natural Quartz Surfacing” is the product to use today. With its “Maintenance Free” characteristics, a “Limited Lifetime Warranty”, and new innovative “Designs” Cambria has much to be desired. With each product there are positives and negatives, and with “Cambria” the positives outweigh those of the other products available in the market today.

There are many countertop products and colour choices to pick from and some may say, “There are too many choices.” Some companies try to offer all brands and colours, and some companies try to narrow the choices down. A company such as “Floform”, has taken to ensuring customers have a quality product to choose from, with colours meeting recent, current, and future trends, and maintaining a limited number of choices. Like “Cambria”, “Floform Countertops” goes through the steps of testing and understanding the products available, trends that currently influence us, and the desires their employees have for countertops in their own homes, and manufacture using the latest technology to give you “the best countertop experience available.” Every countertop from “Floform” is custom made to fit your design, walls, and cabinetry, and backed by “Floform Warranty” and that of its suppliers.

For a quick, easy option, and the regular DIY household, laminate is the safe bet for countertops. For the new build, upgrade, or custom renovation, premium surfaces such as quartz would be a better “bang for your buck”, and geared more towards simplifying the busy lifestyles we lead today. There is more to a countertop than “what meets the eye”, but it is what the eye sees that the final decision comes down to. So whether a countertop is going to be used for cooking, entertaining, or work remember that the countertop is being used all the time. Be sure to look at which product will best suit the demands of your countertops. If you need a hand, the educated people at “Floform Countertops” are always glad to lend a hand.

Aaron Woods – Sales Manager

Floform Countertops

If you’re in the Greater Edmonton area and are looking for a contractor for you renovation project, visit our website at www.nordalta.com/contact/ to find information on how to contact us. We’d be happy to speak to you about what we can do to get the ball rolling on your next home or office project. You can also leave comments with us at robert@nordalta.com.

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Nord Alta Construction is a family owned and operated construction and renovation business serving Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, Fort Saskatchewan and surrounding areas. Our focus, since 1979, is to provide excellent workmanship, great value, and the best possible experience you can have when working with an Edmonton construction company.